Non Compos Mentis
by Casa Circe
Summary: Celena makes Allen promise to defend Dilandau during a crucial trial. The knight chooses a line of argumentation that proves more troublesome than he anticipated.
1. Chapter 1

**Non Compos Mentis**

 _Disclaimer:_ _I do not own Escaflowne or its fantastic characters. This is only done for fun and the only profit earned is reviews._

 _Note: Happy Birthday, Dilandau!_

 _As is my tradition, I've decided to post a new fanfic for my favorite Escaflowne character on his birthday!_

 _I know I've already posted final chapters to two existing stories but I've had the idea for this one-shot for a while, and there's really no better opportunity to post it than today._

 _But I'm pressed for time and I would really like to do this idea justice. So I won't be posting the whole thing right now, just a short first chapter even if this was originally meant to be a one-shot. Just so I get to post something on the right date. And I promise that it won't be a very long fic, just one or two more chapters after this one._

 _Sorry for being a bit mysterious but the title of the fic should already be a minor spoiler for what comes next. And we'll get to see more characters as the story progresses._

 _The next two weeks or so will be jam-packed for me so I don't know how soon I'll get the whole thing posted. But I am determined to write this story!_

 _In the meantime, enjoy and do let me know what you think._

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Many had advised against it but since none had offered any suitable alternative, Allen Schezar decided to push through with his plan.

After all, he had made a promise to his sister. And having spent more than a decade away from the last remaining member of his family, he could not refuse her. Even if her request was to somehow rescue Dilandau Albatou from the scaffold.

The war had ended and everything had begun to settle down in Gaea. The countries involved had started to pick up the pieces and rehabilitate themselves after the ravages of Zaibach, and all manner of repairs were being initiated.

Allen had sought the help of various brilliant minds in Asturia to alleviate his sister's condition and after some struggle, she had been successfully rid of her violent alter ego. Celena Schezar and Dilandau Albatou were now two separate beings.

But the procedure had been a grueling one and it took its toll on them both. They were alive but significantly weakened by what had transpired and they still needed some time to recuperate before they could resume their lives.

Celena was under the care of the Asturian princesses with Millerna taking charge of the medical aspects while Eries acted as the young woman's legal guardian. Allen was profoundly grateful for their help.

Dilandau's was a different case as he was a former soldier of Zaibach who had been responsible for a number of particularly violent attacks on different countries. These countries wanted to hold him accountable for these crimes and had insisted he be incarcerated and called to face a trial at the earliest convenience.

Never mind that Allen and others had argued that the soldier was in no state to face a trial. The date had been set, and Dilandau had to face justice.

In her more lucid moments, Celena had elicited a promise from her brother to somehow save Dilandau. While there was no way to avoid a trial altogether, there was a chance at least that his sentence could be reduced, that he could be spared from an execution. And so Allen had racked his brains for some way to address the court, for some means of creating sympathy for one of the most feared soldiers of Zaibach.

Then, after much struggle, he came up with a plan, albeit a very risky one. And he could only hope that it would work.

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"He will surely protest," Folken had warned.

The former Strategos of Zaibach had mysteriously returned battered but alive from his mission to destroy Emperor Dornkirk. He was currently a ward of Asturia, still being investigated, though not as harshly as Dilandau, for his involvement in Zaibach. And he had been instrumental in reversing the Fate Alteration in order for Celena and Dilandau to be separated at last, so Allen had consulted him about his plan.

"Well, he does not really have any say in the matter," Allen had argued stubbornly, "Besides, I'm not doing this for him but for Celena. She made me promise to try and save him, and this is the only way I can think of."

Folken sighed but did not argue further since he saw that the knight was as stubborn as the soldier he was trying to protect. But he knew Dilandau well enough to know that Allen's plan might only lead to disaster.

He truly wished that Allen would listen to reason and that others could somehow convince him to change tactics. But the princesses were too preoccupied with their many duties and would only be around to attend the trial itself. And Dryden Fassa had admitted that there was some chance that this might work though he was also too busy to spend too much time analyzing the possible consequences. No one else could really be involved in the preparations. Even Dilandau could not be consulted before the trial began.

Folken sighed again, not seeing anyway out of this, for the moment.

"I suppose we will just have to hope for the best," he thought.


	2. Chapter 2

**Non Compos Mentis**

 _Note: It's been a while since I posted this but I've been so caught up in so many things. But I want to get this out as soon as I can. Only one chapter left to wrap this up and I'm hoping I can post that on New Year's Day. For now, I'm content to post a second chapter on a date like 12/12, to match Dilandau's birthday (8/8)._

 _Please try not to take the legal aspect of this too seriously as I'm no lawyer and I took a lot of liberties with this. But it's an interesting exercise and I hope you enjoy reading it._

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Dilandau Albatou was brought before the court.

It was immediately apparent that he was but a shadow of his former self, emaciated and pale, his eyes sunken, and his manner sluggish. This was a far cry from the dynamic and dangerous soldier who had laid waste to several cities in Gaea. If he were anyone else, his sickly appearance would have gained him sympathy among the judges. But his reputation of destruction prejudiced all those who had gathered to hear his case and their austere faces practically guaranteed that he would be condemned to death.

This had been a hastily-gathered court and it was more of an arbitration than a regular judicial trial. Political expediency had made all this possible and considering the unique circumstances of the defendant, many argued that exceptions could be made in his case. He was not given any proper legal counsel but instead a representative was chosen to speak on his behalf and to try and sway the judges to reduce his sentence.

Allen Schezar had reluctantly volunteered for the role, fulfilling his sister's request, and he had prepared what he believed to be the most effective argument to defend the soldier who had wrought such havoc on the world during the war.

The knight was not the most qualified to deliver a legal speech but he was the only one willing to do so. He addressed the court respectfully and at least was able to carry himself with dignity. His argument was well-structured enough, though not quite as effective as it had hoped.

"The person you see before you cannot be held accountable for all the crimes he is accused of," Allen declared, "as he was not in his right mind when he committed them."

The court was thrown into uproar at this argument and everyone started speaking at once while Allen tried to bolster his defense by discussing the different experiments of Zaibach. In the audience were some who admired the knight's attempts at a defense but who also knew that this was a futile effort. Princess Eries Aston sighed and when she looked at the audience, she caught the eye of Folken Fanel, protected by his status as an amnesty-seeker in Asturia. She gave him a questioning look and he replied with the slightest shake of his head.

"There was no dissuading him," Folken seemed to say and Eries immediately understood. She knew how stubborn Allen Schezar could be as well as how desperate he was to acquiesce to his sister's request. Both the princess and the former Strategos regretted being unable to offer a suitable alternative but the situation was impossible.

The odds were stacked against Dilandau Albatou because with Dornkirk dead and many of the generals likewise killed or missing, people wanted someone to pay for all of Zaibach's crimes. And he was the most convenient scapegoat. And even without all these political machinations, it was still true that Dilandau had caused death and destruction to so many and they would gladly see him die for his crimes.

"Dilandau Albatou and my sister, Celena Schezar, were both victims of Emperor Dornkirk's Fate Alteration Experiments," the knight explained, "They were subjected to unspeakable torture and unnatural procedures that had adverse effects on their bodies and their state of minds. And as many who have witnessed Dilandau Albatou in a fight can attest, he has frequently shown signs of hysteria and mental instability. His ferocity in the battlefield may well be attributed to the way the Zaibach sorcerers programmed him to be and the results of the inhumane experiments. He was not of sound mind and not in complete control of his actions and therefore cannot be held accountable for them."

As Allen continued his speech and the judges looked more doubtful than ever, other members of the audience expressed their anxiety about the outcome. Princess Millerna shook her head sadly, knowing that the judges would not be convinced. Beside her Dryden Fassa rubbed his temples in slight exasperation because he had warned Allen against taking this line of argumentation but clearly the latter paid no need to his advice. He had admitted that there was a slight chance that it would work but nothing more.

What was astonishing was that the whole time, the defendant made no reaction to all that was happening around him. He simply stared blankly in front of him, a placid expression on his face, his posture completely still. He seemed too weak to even turn his head. Strangely enough, it was this persistent silence that began to sway the judges in his favor.

Allen concluded his speech and watched nervously as the judges whispered among themselves, deliberating over what he had just presented. To his relief, they were not as skeptical as they had been when he began to speak, and after throwing some more doubtful glances at Dilandau, some of them almost looked convinced that he was also a victim of Zaibach's atrocities.

"It's working," Allen thought hopefully, "Looks like my gamble paid off after all."

"There's clearly something wrong with him," one whispered as he looked at Dilandau's forlorn figure.

"Perhaps Schezar is right and he is not in possession of his senses," another observed, "Look at him! He hasn't uttered a word since the trial started and he has barely moved."

"He looks almost dead!" someone else remarked with disgust.

"It might be true, after all," another whispered, "He's a madman. And now he is reduced to nothing."

"What a wretched creature!" someone exclaimed.

There were more mutterings and whispers, almost endless arguments about whether or not Dilandau Albatou was of sound mind. The Asturian princesses exchanged a look of surprise at the outcome of this trial and though it had been an unlikely prospect, they now hoped that it would work and they would be able to reduce Dilandau's sentence after all. For Celena's sake.

"You have made a compelling case, Schezar," said one of the senior judges, "And we are inclined to consider some of what you have said here today."

Allen bowed gratefully.

The old man looked at the silent figure of Dilandau and frowned.

"Indeed, we may take into account what you have said about his…condition," the man said carefully, "And that perhaps he was not quite of sound mind when he did what he did."

"The insanity defense is used more often than appropriate," another judge remarked, "but in this case, it seems like it is relevant."

Other judges began to protest against these pronouncements and the court was once again in uproar. Allen watched and waited, still hoping that there could be a satisfying resolution to the whole affair. Every now and then, he would repeat certain key points in order to give more emphasis to his arguments.

The noise in the courtroom was so great that at first, no one paid any attention to the defendant. At this point, everyone had written him off as an invalid of some sort, so they failed to notice the slight change in his expression. His eyes brightened and he seemed to wake up from some deep slumber. His face acquired a grim expression and he began muttering the same word over and over, with greater force until it became a shout and a hush fell over the room.

"Enough!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Non Compos Mentis**

 _Note: This is the last chapter of this dark, little story._

 _It was an enjoyable exercise and I'm glad I somehow got to explore this whole idea and now I've gotten it out of my system. There will be no sequels or extensions because this is as far as I had always planned for this story to go, and I will stand by that._

 _I've deliberately kept the conclusion open-ended because it's just more fun that way, and the whole point of this piece was really the trial. What happens beyond this event I leave to your imagination._

 _Hope you enjoy it and please do let me know what you think._

 _Happy New Year!_

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Dilandau Albatou stood up slowly and looked all around him, his eyes ablaze.

"I've heard enough of this filth!" he declared fiercely.

All eyes turned to him immediately and the once passive object of the discussion had, in the simple act of speaking up, taken control and silenced the whole room. No one could account for this sudden show of angry agency and no one dared speak or act until more was revealed. Every person there was well aware that they were in the presence of a truly volatile element and they were all on their guard. Dilandau was unpredictable although one could always be sure of one thing: everything he touched turned to ashes.

He glared at all the people in the courtroom and was pleased to see them looking frightened, with some visibly quivering with fear. It gratified him to know that even after all that had happened, he still had some effect on people. He turned his fiery gaze to the incredulous and anxious face of Allen Schezar and Dilandau's frown deepened.

"How dare you!" he said scornfully, "How dare you spread all these vicious lies about me!"

Allen opened his mouth to protest but Dilandau interrupted him, determined to be the only voice in the room.

"I will not allow you to malign me any further. I refuse to play your game," the furious soldier continued, unaware or perhaps reluctant to admit that this strange tactic had been a means to exonerate him somehow.

"I am trying to save you from a terrible fate," Allen argued, but his efforts were in vain.

"I don't need anyone to save me! Especially not you!" Dilandau retorted stubbornly, "I am not yet so weak and helpless. And I will speak for myself."

No one was sure of how long he had been conscious and how much of the trial he had heard. People wondered about what had triggered this outburst when for several months, he had been in such a wretched state of lethargy, too weak to speak or move, his gaze unfocused, and his spirit seemingly broken beyond repair.

But gone was the lingering shadow, the wraith that everyone had dismissed as a lost cause, the shell of a man who had been chosen to bear the brunt of the punishment for the crimes of an empire. Before them was the real thing, the dreaded warrior whose wrath had razed countries to the ground, and he would not be silenced.

"Call me a monster, if you wish, but I am no one's puppet, _only I_ have control over my mind," Dilandau said defiantly, and his eyes shone with the conviction that had often made his foes fall to their knees before him.

"If I have caused death and destruction, I have done so of my own volition," he continued, and all those present listened attentively, no one daring to interrupt, "I was not forced or brainwashed or conditioned to do anything. And I will now allow you to treat me like I am some abomination, an experiment created in some dark laboratory. I am myself, and no one else."

In many ways, he had always been more formidable opponent in person than when fighting in a guymelef because his physical presence was effectively more intimidating than even the most impressive of Zaibach armors. His pale skin and silver-colored hair gave him a distinct appearance but it was the intensity of his gaze and the sinister expressions on his face that completed the effect of utter terror. And even now, in chains and at the mercy of a court of his enemies, with a single look, he still had the power to strike fear into the heart of those who sought to destroy him.

"You condemn yourself," Allen muttered with a sigh.

"So be it," Dilandau said gravely, "I mean every word I said. And I am no coward. I can face the consequences."

He said nothing more but sat down and stared defiantly around him as the ministers and judges went into an uproar, exchanging various arguments, sometimes addressing him directly but getting no response, and deliberating over what had just happened. He had said his piece, his voice had been heard, and he left everything else in their hands, daring them to deny what had just happened.

It was a peculiar situation and Dilandau's outburst had, instead of simplifying the matter, only brought more unexpected complications.

On the one hand, he had effectively proven that he was a being of agency and clarity of vision, able to act and speak for himself and to understand the consequences of his words and actions. But on the other hand, would someone of sound mind truly choose pride over self-preservation? Those were hardly a warrior's instincts. Would someone who had survived so much simply accept a fatal punishment only to defy an inaccurate description of himself? Would he really risk everything just to uphold his fearsome reputation? When everything was said and done, was he really mad?

Those who were better acquainted with Dilandau knew that his stubbornness should never be underestimated. He had always defied the rules and though he had sometimes suffered for his recklessness, he had never compromised, not for anyone. But he had his moments of shrewdness and no doubt, he had some plans of his own, that no one there would be able to predict. Appearances could be deceiving and it was possible that even when he seemed to condemn himself, he had already found a path to salvation and freedom.

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No one knows what really happened after this infamous trial. The aftermath has been so effectively shrouded in mystery that even the keenest of investigators have failed to discover the truth. One thing is certain, the trial was the last time Dilandau Albatou had been seen in public.

Various theories have been considered. Some say he was eventually executed in a secret ceremony while others claim that he languishes all alone in a prison cell in the remotest location on Gaea, where escape was impossible. There are others that entertain more optimistic prospects: somehow Allen Schezar, with the support of the Aston princesses and even the Fanels, managed to negotiate an arrangement that allowed for Dilandau to be spared the noose.

And this theory had several versions as well. Some say he remained in the custody of the Schezars, hidden away from the world, but thriving nonetheless. Others say that he had been exiled to the furthest reaches of Gaea and some had claimed to have caught glimpses of a wandering figure who matched the description of the former Zaibach soldier. Others still say he had returned to the ruins of Zaibach and chosen this as his final resting place, succumbing to the mysterious illness that had caused his health to debilitate after the war.

And there are also those who say he managed to escape prison and then evade capture. He was fugitive at large who was determined to survive, even when the entire world was against him. He was rumored to be forming a group of bandits and mercenaries, who would travel around Gaea and wreak havoc wherever they went.

But most of the theories were idle speculations, elaborate tales told by those fascinated by the story of the fierce captain of the Dragonslayers. His fate became linked to several strange legends, but these were stories and nothing more.

Perhaps there were a handful of people on Gaea who knew the truth about Dilandau Albatou. But they were adept at keeping secrets. And they understood that the chances of his survival rose significantly the less people knew about what had really happened to him.

And so the mysteries grew and deepened until the lines between fact and fiction were blurred beyond recognition.

But one thing was certain: no one would ever forget Dilandau Albatou.


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